In the wake of Fukushima, Germany and Italy have both taken the courageous step in turning their backs on nuclear energy. In Japan and elsewhere, however, the nuclear industry is trying to ensure business as usual despite, becoming increasingly dogged in cover-up and scandals.

Instead of taking control of the situation, and earning the public's trust by being transparent, TEPCO remains reluctant to provide important information about the nuclear crisis. This is a trend that has continued since the beginning of the crisis. TEPCO's nuclear accident operating manual was released to a government committee this week. The committee found it so heavily censored that it was unreadable. Even Naoto Kan, who recent stepped down as Prime Minister was in the dark about what TEPCO was doing, saying that he personally visited the Fukushima reactors the day after the crisis began `because we were not receiving accurate information from the plant'.

Anyone who seriously considers themselves to be expert, or even to have an opinion about nuclear power should go through the Greenpeace article melo posted and click on the links, then go through the timeline.

After the lies and obfuscations, you would then be forced to admit that irrespective of the technology itself, the nuclear industry itself is incapable of any responsibility. And before you say that France isn't Japan, you find out EdF has been hacking Greenpeace computers since 2004.

Cesium in children's urine, 3x the level of radiation in the sea as reported, radiation found farther and wider than disclosed. The Japanese government wants to examine the TEPCO manuals, which TEPCO released only one of, and that HEAVILY redacted because of "intellectual property" concerns during a huge disaster.

Little blips on the timeline like "TEPCO can't account for a hundred eighty workers." What, they realized what they were doing and went home?

I used to be so frustrated dealing with pro-nukers because they continually refuse to admit that the management itself of the industry is so corrupt and incapable, and cavalier about it. if only half of that article is true, the entire industry should stand naked in the corner forever.

When i say that this civilization with its environmental blindness and psychopathic pursuit of who knows what greed is not evolved enough to be entrusted with caretaking the splitting of the atom, this is what i talk about.

i would appreciate if some nuclear power advocate could give me their own views on what i just read and wrote.

it always astonishes me when people as intelligent and informed as Thomas or NNadir still believe in the 'peaceful' atom, after all the shit greenpeace cites has gone down. taking that view seems the par excellence example of what can happen when 'rationality' outstrips compassion.

we are living in a time of disconnected hearts...

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

Sadly, no nuclear power advocate seems to want to step up and touch these issues. Is that telling? Why not? I know when I see garbage written about windpower i'm always tempted to set the record straight.

Let me put it a bit clearer. As long as nuclear power remains a perceived viable option to mediate climate change, the path to build a sustainable world is at best compromised, at worst stalled. it's really about time for Stewart fuckin whole-earth Brand to man up and admit he was wrong, or tell us where we're wrong.

For creator's sake, earthlings, if you must keep your infatuation with derivatives, then at least use direct derivatives of the sun.

(PS. and no, your civilization is nowhere near advanced enough to consider using what actually powers the sun itself.)